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The establishment of Phek district’s PWD division issued several photographs, one shown here, seeking to clarify that work on the Pukhungri-Avankhu road was still on, although rife with hindrances such as having to blast through rocky terrains.[/caption]
Dimapur, Oct. 8 (EMN): The PWD (roads and bridges) of Phek district and a community organisation have refuted what they stated were untoward allegations from anti-graft activists, the Against Corruption and Unabated Corruption (Acaut) concerning the Pukhungri-Avankhu road in the district.
The establishment of the executive engineer of the PWD (roads and bridges) of Phek district and the Phokhungri Area Public Organisation (Papo) issued separate press releases on Monday offering clarifications.
The PWD called the demand of the Acaut to blacklist contractor M/S Viu Angami & Sons ‘technically without substance and uncalled for.’ This project was ‘initially sanctioned’ for INR 1, 042 lakh for 18.49 km by the North Eastern Council during 2005-06 in September 2005, the PWD stated. The work was allotted to M/S Nagaland Builders Pvt. Ltd. “However, after encountering rocky portions the contractor could not proceed further owing to the extremely difficult unforeseen working conditions for which the firm was ill-equipped to handle and ultimately had to surrender the work order,” the Phek PWD division stated.
The project remained dormant for the next four years in spite of best efforts from the department to continue with the work, the press release read. The initiative of the then development commissioner Alemtemshi Jamir, and the then commissioner-secretary for Works and Housing Temjen Toy could convince the government to agree to a revised DPR amounting to INR 2, 339 lakh during 2011-12. The work was then allotted to M/S Viu Angami & Sons during December 2012, as it was capable and fully equipped to execute the works, which involves ‘blasting of hard rock of huge magnitude in extremely hostile working conditions,’ the Phek division.
Allegation that the project was “deliberately stalled and delayed to revise the cost of the project,” the Phek PWD stated, is ‘uncalled for which can best be verified from the comments of inspecting officials from the funding agency including the advisor and engineers from NEC as well as from the state including ministers, MLA and high ranking govt. officials.’
That said, the division admitted that the project was running behind schedule. “However, it may be noted that during the course of execution, un-anticipated hard rock requiring blasting was encountered at many locations which was overlooked during the preparation of DPR due to the extremely inaccessible steep terrain along the alignment and also the deceptive soil strata,” the press release read.
The length of the project was for 18.49 km only. However, the PWD stated, the firm has constructed over 24 km to connect ITC Avakhung and till the Indo-Myanmar international boundary to allow opening trade and commerce activities between India and Myanmar.
“Whether the road seem barely visible can best be judged and testified from the local inhabitants who are witness to the progress and hardships faced by the executing agency throughout the course of execution of works and also of the fact that trading activities are now taking place between India and Myanmar after connecting the two countries through this project.”
The PWD division has requested cooperation and moral support for the success and smooth implementation of ‘all projects.’
Likewise, the Phokhungri organisation, the Papo, issued a separate statement expressing ‘utter shock and dismay’ that the Acaut had demanded blacklisting said firm ‘without actually visiting the project site to verify the ground realities before initiating further actions.’
“For a remote and ignored area like ours, this particular project has been the only project of significant importance crucial to our very existence as this road has opened up our area to wide range of opportunities like opening of the ITC at Avakhung where trading activities with neighbouring Myanmar have started,” the organisation stated in its press release.
“We now have easy access whereby cultural activities exchange programs have increased. Also, an Assam Rifles outpost has come up at Avakhung to ensure security to the people.”
The community group stated that the road passes through very steep rocky mountains, which was largely inaccessible prior to construction of said road.
‘We are witness as to how M/s Vi-u Angami & Sons as well as PWD (R&B) department have sacrificed to make the road through in these difficult working conditions. We have also never come across the contractor deliberately stopping the works excepting during rainy season and major holidays,’ the statement read.
The demand to blacklist the firm is uncalled for and irrational, the Papo stated as it requested the authorities to ‘act wisely so that such genuine project does not perish due to unfounded allegations.’